Seriously injured in the knee last December against the Lions, TJ Hockenson is not yet fully recovered. Adam Schefter ofESPN indicates that the player will start the season on the PUP List (physically unable to perform), making him unavailable for the first four games of the new season. The eight and a half months of convalescence will therefore not have been enough, a finding that is hardly surprising for a double cruciate ligament tear.
Before last season, Hockenson signed a four-year, $68.5 million contract with the Vikings. He was living up to his new contract before his injury (95 receptions, 960 yards, 5 touchdowns).
A poorly positioned attack
While TJ Hockenson's absence was expected, it nevertheless comes in addition to that of quarterback JJ McCarthy. Already orphaned by Kirk Cousins, the Vikings are now placing their hopes on Sam Darnold… Who will therefore not be able to target his tight end for the first four games of the season. In the meantime, the Vikings will meet the Giants, the 49ers, the Texans and the Packers.
Despite the news, the franchise remains confident that its star tight end will be able to return during the season. Officially, the earliest the 27-year-old could play again is October 6 against the Jets at Tottenham-Hotspur Stadium in London. A mid-to-late season return seems more likely, however.
